Vintage Charm and Contemporary Flair

The heart of the Village, in the west-end of Hamilton, is our vibrant shopping community with its remarkable range of shops, restaurants and services. At its centre is an Art Deco movie theatre that has been a favourite entertainment destination since the era of silent films.

Blocks away is a world-class university campus. Leafy streets curve through the neighbourhood in a distinctive oval pattern. Woodland trails wind from green playing fields to a nationally recognized nature sanctuary where bald eagles nest.

Westdale was Canada’s first planned community. There was great local interest in the project, and some 6,000 Hamiltonians entered a contest to name this new community. One spring night in 1923, the winning entry was announced -- and Westdale got its name. (Woodlands, Bridgeview and Vimy Ridge – for the World War I battle fought just six years earlier – were also in the running.)

Architects and craftsmen looked to some of the latest ideas in urban design as they worked to create Westdale Village. They planned a shopping district to fill the needs of residents and visitors. They built schools to serve young people of every grade – and McMaster University also established itself in the area. Houses sprang up in a range of sizes and styles – front-porch square-plan, Tudor-inspired, and Streamlined Moderne. The green expanse of Churchill Park met the newly created nature sanctuary protecting the ravines and wetlands of nearby Cootes Paradise.

The Village quickly grew from plan to reality. Today it has evolved into a diverse and lively place, with both vintage charm and contemporary flair, containing a remarkable range of over 80 shops, restaurants, cozy cafes, and professional services along (and just off) King Street West, not far from downtown Hamilton.

Residents and visitors alike feel at home here. It is a charming place where wonderful eateries, unique boutiques, old-style bakeries and an Art Deco movie theatre all add to the ambiance.